The Count's Treasure
by Peony-princesa
Summary: Ophelia needs a break from the palace, but Lucio can't seem to be able to go without her for longer than a day. Shenanigans continue at the masquerade and some interesting wagers are made.
1. Chapter 1

When Ophelia awoke again, the first sensation she was aware of, was the feeling of all-encompassing warmth. As she lazily opened her eyes, she found that she was seated in a half reclined position in a huge marble spa, in a bathing room that she was unfamiliar with. Turning her head, she was confronted by the sight of Lucio lounging in the water next to her, he was reclining on the edge of the pool with his head leaned back and his single arm stretched out and resting on the ledge, his eyes closed, and his expression looking almost serene as he rested.

Careful not to make any noise, Ophelia looked herself over and found that the red marks that he had left on her chest, stomach, arms and upper thighs in their frenzied passion, were settling in to become significant bruises. Though that was to be expected, the thing that really surprised her was that she appeared to have been thoroughly bathed; her skin was scrubbed and glowing, and her damp hair was piled atop her head, clean and smelling of freesias.

"I see you're awake."

Ophelia almost let herself fall back asleep, her eyes still felt incredibly heavy, when the image flashed into her head of Portia being unable to find her in her room in the morning, and her eyes popped open. Struggling to her feet, Ophelia looked around frantically for any garment she could throw on before fleeing back to her room.

Lucio frowned as he watched her panicked actions "What are you doing?" he asked, getting up out of the water himself.

"If Portia doesn't find me in my room, Nadia will make her search every inch of the palace for me, and I don't think I need to tell you why it would be horrible if I was found here with you." she stood there in the spa, water dripping off her skin, wringing her hands in anxiousness.

Lucio took a step closer to her and laid his hand firmly on her shoulder "Stop."

Ophelia looked up at him, her eyes still wide with worry, and though her fears were overwhelming her brain, his voice made her pause and wait for him to continue.

"It would indeed be unpleasant if my former wife were to find you here in my chambers in such a state, but it is still dark out, her attendant won't be coming to look for you for several hours yet."

Staring at him incredulously, Ophelia drew her brows together in an expression that said she didn't quite believe him. "Really? It feels like I've been asleep for hours."

"You were only asleep while I bathed you. I just finished bathing myself when you woke up." he ran his fingers through his wet hair and stepped out of the bath, picking up his golden prosthetic, affixing it to his shoulder and pulling on a robe before turning back to Ophelia. Motioning for her to turn around, he slipped one arm under both of hers, and the other he placed behind her knees, picking her up and drawing her out of the water, placing her several feet away and picking up a large towel. His eyes scanned her dripping wet figure closely, the edges up his mouth curling up slightly as he traced the the marks he had left on her skin, making it clear he was admiring his handiwork.

Despite having been so intimately entangled not long before, Ophelia still felt a blush creep over her cheeks as he did so, and dropped her gaze. She then felt the towel being draped over her shoulders, and Lucio's hands roving over her body, patting her dry.

When he had finished drying her off, her pulled the towel from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor, picking up a small bottle and pouring some of its contents into one hand, and proceeded to rub it over her skin, starting at her shoulders and working his way all the way down to her feet. The light floral scent of the substance, as well as the way it glided over her skin, told her it was a mixture of almond oil, rose, and argan, a concoction perfect for hydrating and softening the skin.

"Why are you doing that?" Ophelia asked hesitantly as he massaged the oil into the skin around her hips, greatly confused by the care he was showing her after the nature of their union not long before; the difference in behavior baffling her.

Glancing up at her for a moment, Lucio continued with his task "You're mine, don't you remember? What kind of man would I be if I didn't take excellent care of my playthings?"

She hadn't thought he was serious; she'd merely taken his words for an impassioned declaration in the heat of the moment. As much as she hated the idea of being owned, she couldn't help the shiver of excitement that ran down her spine at his words. The idea of being his possession so aroused her that she felt the heat building deep inside her once again.

When he was done, Lucio dressed Ophelia in her own robe and picked her up again, carrying her through the dark halls of the palace until they reached her quarters. Once they were alone in her room, he spoke as he untied the belt of his robe and let it fall to the floor "I'll be gone when you wake up, so don't worry about Nadia's attendant finding something amiss. But the masquerade is almost upon us, and I will expect to spend the majority of it fucking you in every room amidst the festivities. You should get all the rest you can before then." He then turned to Ophelia again and repeated his actions, tossing her robe aside and sweeping her up, pulling back the covers of the bed and placing her beneath them before crawling in next to her. He then surprised her once again by throwing an arm around her waist, nestling his face between her breasts and falling asleep almost immediately.

Ophelia lay there in the dark for a while contemplating her situation; as much as she knew that she should run as fast and far away from the palace as she could, she had to admit to herself that she was intrigued by the Count, and had no real desire to leave his side. _"I've come this far already."_ she thought to herself _"I think I'm past the point of backing out now. Besides,"_ she reasoned _"I can't say I haven't enjoyed it so far."_

When Ophelia awoke again, she wasn't surprised to find herself alone; Lucio had after all warned her that he wouldn't still be there in the morning. She felt a strange disappointment nonetheless, thought it was countered by her still present afterglow from the night before. As she replayed in her mind what it had felt like to have Lucio's claws closing around her throat, she remembered with an unpleasant jolt, the events that had led up to such actions. She gazed down at her hands, hardly believing that they were capable of the very acts they had performed just hours earlier. She wondered what Lucio had ordered his men to do with Valerius' body; whether they had buried him somewhere or merely dumped him in a remote location. Quickly casting off such unpleasant thoughts, she rolled to the edge of the bed, wanting to get dressed before Portia arrived so she wouldn't catch sight of the evidence of Lucio's manhandling.

As soon as she started moving, Ophelia groaned; not only was she bruised, but she felt the dull ache of sore muscles that seemed to reach into every fiber of her being. She'd exerted herself far more than she had initially thought, and now she was paying the price for the previous nights activities.

She was soon ready for the day, and to return to her duties of following Nadia around as the Countess supervised the last preparations for the masquerade. As she put the finishing touches on her outfit, Ophelia made a mental note to try and get away for a bit that afternoon and go to the shop for a remedy for her aching muscles. But for now, she would just have to bear it and do her best to hide it from the Countess, who would undoubtedly ask questions if she perceived anything amiss with the magician.

The day was spent exactly how she'd imagined: running around after the Countess and seeing to it that she wasn't bothered by anyone as she made the final preparations for the masquerade. Ophelia was supposed that no one seemed to be concerned over the absences of either Vulgora or Valerius; Nadia had made a remark about the amount of wine not diminishing as quickly as she anticipated, but that was all that was said.

As the day wore on, Ophelia grew increasingly aware of how tired she was of the palace; she was once again feeling the need to immerse herself in the calming influence of the forest. Despite not wavering in her decision to remain with Lucio, she wanted a break from it all _"I want to go home."_ As soon as the thought popped into her head, her mind was made. Once the day's tasks were over, and Nadia had retired to her chambers, Ophelia stole out of the palace and made her way to the small cottage in the forest where she had lived before she'd become embroiled in the palace drama.

It was her pride and joy; it had taken every penny of her savings to buy, and was the one thing she could call her own. She had painstakingly cultivated an exquisite garden for all her herbal needs, and had built it up to the point where the majority of the salves, balms and potions she and Asra sold in the shop were made from the herbs grown there.

Arriving at the cottage around dusk, Ophelia shed her layers of clothing, tossing them aside as she walked to the bedroom until she was down to her underwear, leaving a trail of garments as she went. Picking a short chemise from her closet, she discarded her undergarments and pulled it over her head, relishing the feeling of the thin, silky fabric sliding over her skin. She then proceeded to tie her hair in a loose bun at the top of her head before heading to the kitchen to brew a pot of her favorite tea.

Ophelia had several varieties of tea that she favored for different occasions; when she needed to feel energized, she liked a blend of ginger and pomegranate, for calm moments, she preferred jasmine with a hint of rose. But today, she wanted more than a little relaxation, and set about blending a concoction that would ease her mind and make her forget all her worries. After setting the kettle over the fire to heat, she gathered several bundles of dried herbs from her stores, selecting equal parts of poppy pods and valerian root, and adding candied orange peel to the infuser to diminish the bitterness.

Ophelia felt her anticipation grow as she swirled the herb-filled infuser in the steaming pot of water; it had been a while since she had been able to have an evening all to herself, and she was looking forward to setting herself adrift in the softness of her sheets while the concoction she was brewing melted her worries away.

When the potion was ready, she poured it into the biggest mug she had, and went back to the bedroom, nestling deep into the pillows and lifted the mug to her lips, breathing in the aroma before taking a long, slow sip and sighing happily at the taste. She took her time savoring the brew, wanting to let it ease over her, until with a last sip, she drained it to the dregs. Setting the mug next to the bed, she settled into the comfort of her bed and drifted off into a sweet limbo between sleeping and wakefulness, feeling nothing beyond a warm drowsiness.

Sometime during the night, Ophelia was roused out of her stupor by a disturbance of the charms she and Asra had placed in a perimeter around the cottage. She couldn't tell what time it was or how long had passed since she had laid down, but the darkness told her that it was still far from morning. She laid there on her side, motionless and listening for further movement. The sound of footsteps, heavy and accompanied by the clink of armor, was soon clear outside the front door; they paused for a moment, before the door was pushed open and proceeded into the cottage. Ophelia tensed, her haze completely gone for the moment, preparing to either attack the intruder or defend herself if she had to. The next moment, she caught a whiff of leather with a hint of rose, and began to relax, a slight smirk forming on her lips. _"So,"_ she thought _"he just couldn't be without me for one night. I wonder how he found me?"_

The footsteps continued, moving from the dining area to the kitchen, and then finding their way into the bedroom.

Ophelia remained still, curious to see what he would do when he found her. She heard the sound of clasps opening, and garments being tossed on the floor; boots fell heavily to the ground one after another, and then the sound of bare feet making their way to the bed. The covers were drawn back and there was a shout of surprise and a loud responding hiss

" _FUCK!_ What the hell is _that_?!

Ophelia's shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter as she rolled over and gathered up the indignantly hissing ball of fur that had been curled up behind her.

"This is Hortense, and neither of us like to be so rudely awoken without warning."

Lucio stood back, eyeing the creature in her arms warily "Very well, but what _is_ it?"

" _Hortense_ is my familiar, and a very protective one at that." Ophelia retorted with a lifted eyebrow "If you are asking about species, Hortense is a Opossum. A very beautiful Opossum" The last sentence was muffled in the Opossum's fur as she buried her face there, while it eyed Lucio with a narrowed gaze.

"I don't think Hortense likes me." he commented haughtily, though he didn't try to move closer.

"Are you surprised? You aren't the most savory of characters." Ophelia replied, still nuzzling her chin in the Opossum's coat and looking up at Lucio solemnly, though there was a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Well, tell Hortense I'm not here to hurt you." Lucio huffed in annoyance "Quite the contrary, actually."

The rogueish smirk that accompanied his last remark made Ophelia roll her eyes, but she set her familiar down on the bed "Oh don't worry Hortense, I definitely don't trust him, but he's not a danger. Run along and get some rest, I know you're sleepy."

The possum climbed up one of the bedposts and disappeared through a round hole at the top of the wall, muttering disapprovingly the whole way.

Turning back to Lucio, Ophelia was about to make a remark about the offended look on his face when she suddenly felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her; the excitement had worn off and she realized that she was still very much under the effects of her tea. Without a word she laid down and rolled back to her initial position, leaving Lucio standing next to the bed in just his breeches. She felt the bed sag under his weight as he climbed in next to her and pull the covers over himself, and was surprised when she felt no movement beyond that.

"Not going to take what you came for, Count?" she mumbled sleepily, pushing her back against him.

She felt the huff of an annoyed breath on her neck "I can't if you're asleep." he grumbled, though she felt him return her gesture, pressing his hips against her ass.

"I'm not asleep, just slightly...inebriated." she said with a giggle, reaching back to take his hand in hers and brought it to her lips, kissing each of his knuckles until she got to his index finger, where she laid kisses along its length, sucking gently on his fingertip.

Lucio groaned behind her and nuzzled his face into the curve of her neck, his breath hot and quickening. He pulled his hand from her grasp and palmed it over her breast, rolling her nipple between his fingertips through the sheer material of her chemise, before roving over her stomach, her hip and then delving between her legs. "Don't expect me to be so gentle in the future," he whispered in her ear through gritted teeth as he pressed his hips against her ass more forcefully "this little cunt hasn't had near enough discipline."

Ophelia smiled as she pulled a little distance away from him, reaching down and pulling her nightgown up over her ass, exposing herself to him. "I certainly hope not," she whispered with a laugh "your 'gentleness' isn't what made my legs shake the first time you took me in your chambers."

He groaned again as he grabbed her thigh and she felt him shove his breeches off his hips before he lifted her leg and plunged himself into her waiting heat.

She let out a gasping moan at the intrusion, and laid her head back against his chest as he began to move within her, his metal arm moving to encircle her waist and hold her tight against him.

Ophelia had no concept of how much time had passed when they finally lay still in her bed, Lucio again wrapped around her like he'd been the night before. This time it was Ophelia who fell asleep almost instantly, the compounded effects of her tea, exhaustion, and afterglow proving to be a potent sedative.

When she awoke again, it was to Lucio sitting on the edge of her bed as he fastened the last of the clasps that held his shoulder cape to the rest of his jacket.

"Lingering this time, Count?" she asked with a laugh as she rolled over to watch him, her hair flowing over the pillows around her.

"Hmph," he turned to look at her "I do seem to sleep better next to you."

"Is that why you couldn't go one night without me?" she asked teasingly as she sat up "How did you find this place anyway?"

He ignored her first question and assumed an arrogant expression "I know every inch of my realm, you think I'd have any trouble finding you in _my_ forest? Hardly. You could never hide from me, little magician."

Ophelia rolled her eyes "I have no reason to hide from you. Why would I hide when you fuck me so well?" she bit her lip and grinned at him, enjoying this new banter they had; as arousing as their sexual tension was, it could also be exhausting.

Lucio looked at her, his gaze narrowed, for a few moments, and then tackled her. Throwing her onto her back, he clamped metal claws around her throat while he slipped two fingers into her. Bringing his mouth a hair's breadth from her own, he stared into her eyes and growled "I should fuck my cum out of your messy pussy right now. Is that the kind of fucking you want?"

Pressing her thighs around his hand, Ophelia met his gaze as she moaned softly, leaning up until their lips touched "Yes. _Please."_

Yanking her up into an almost savage kiss, Lucio curled his fingers inside her until she squirmed, begging him for more, and then withdrew completely, letting her fall back onto the bed as he stepped back, straightening his jacket, his own arousal obvious beneath his pants.

"Remember what I told you about the masquerade tonight. You'd best be ready, Ophelia." and with that, he turned and left the cottage.

Ophelia lay there for a moment, before jumping out of bed with a curse and rummaging around in her nightstand drawer until she retrieved an cylindrical object from it and slammed it shut.

"If that motherfucker thinks I'm waiting until tonight to get any kind of satisfaction, he's a fool." she muttered to herself and stalked into her bathing room, climbing into the tub and turning on the faucet full blast. "It's too bad he's human again, I miss that spectral goat cock of his." With a small laugh, she smoothed her thumb over the base of the object as she focused her magic, watching it grow and change in shape "I'll just have to make do, I supposed."


	2. Chapter 2

Later that afternoon after she had returned to the palace and spent the day at the Countess' side, and Nadia had dismissed her to get ready for the masquerade, Ophelia made it back to her quarters and found herself in a quandary. There, laid out on the bed, were two complete masquerade costumes. It was clear at first glance who had sent each to her room; one was fabric of a bright, vivid crimson, contrasted with a glittering gold corset, immensely heavy and constricting in its construction. The costume was accompanied by a set of intricately crafted lingerie, also gold and red in color. Clearly sent by the Count, it came with a matching mask, one shaped in the fashion of a faun's face. "Hmmph, quite the gaudy getup to pair with the face of a baby deer. Why the fuck would he choose that for me?" Ophelia scoffed aloud to herself, turning to inspect the other costume.

Nadia's choice was less garish by comparison, but still not to Ophelia's taste, with its thick sunflower-yellow tulle skirt and v-shaped neckline. _"I hate both of these."_ she thought to herself, annoyed that neither of the two had been able or cared to choose something that really suited her. Standing with her hands on her hips, she pondered what to do about her situation; on one hand, she could just get over herself and pick one of the costumes, but she knew that doing so would put her in a foul mood for the entire night, and she really did want to enjoy the event. She also had to think about the consequences that would undoubtedly accompany her choice. If she chose Lucio's, everyone in attendance would know that she belonged to him. The idea made the hair on her neck prickle, and her face hot; her heart rebelled against any suggestion of not being the master of her own fate, but the fires of her more base instincts were stoked at the mere notion. She didn't even want to think about how betrayed Nadia would feel seeing Ophelia resplendent in Lucio's chosen colors. On the other hand, if she chose Nadia's costume, she was sure that Lucio would be furious, and as much as being witness to his rage had aroused her before, she was unwilling to be the object of it.

None of those options appealed to her enough however, and, making a snap decision, she turned swiftly and left her chambers. Passing an attendant burdened with a case of wine in the hallway, she relieved them of a bottle and yanked the cork out with her teeth, taking a swig and making her way out of the palace with a determined stride.

Once in the marketplace, Ophelia headed for the stalls that sold masquerade costumes, and began rifling through the various fabrics and jewels. She had an idea of what she wanted, and trusted her hands to do the choosing for her, letting them rove through the myriad of textures in search of the fabric that would feel glorious on her skin as well as being beautiful. She settled on an costume of pale purple,detailed in gold, that wonderfully complimented her bronzed skin and heavy emerald locks. The skirt hung low on her hips and was made of thin silk, stitched with tiny gold threads and layered to give it weight enough to swirl ethereally when she moved, two long slits up the front allowing her plenty of freedom to dance. The top portion of the costume hung gracefully off of her shoulders, giving a peek of cleavage and leaving her back almost completely bare. Ophelia hated any kind of pressure laying over her stomach, and was thrilled that her costume left her torso free. To finish her look, she purchased a delicate gold body chain that sloped from around her neck, between her breasts and over her stomach, as well as amethyst and gold adornments for her hair that were fashioned in the shape of star flowers. The only item left for her to obtain was a mask.

As Ophelia made her way back to the palace, she took a detour through the gardens, hoping to come across some kind of inspiration in the various array of exotic flora that grew there. As she wandered deeper into the gardens, she came across a huge rosebush, obviously old and meticulously cared for, its gnarled boughs heavy with huge white roses. Running her hands over the blossoms, Ophelia instinctively knew they were Lucio's favorite. He hadn't told her such a thing, they had hardly spoken about personal preferences, but she knew all the same.

Suddenly realizing that she had taken far longer in her search than she had anticipated, Ophelia hastily gathered up several of the large blossoms and hurried back to her room to get dressed.

When she finally found her way to the grand ballroom, the masquerade was already in full swing, the guests eating and drinking with gusto as the orchestras played arrangements to encourage the utmost revelry. Ophelia slipped through the crowds, doing her best to keep as low a profile as possible; she knew it was only a matter of time before both Nadia and Lucio found her and saw that she hadn't chosen either of their gifts.

As luck would have it, Nadia was the one to spot Ophelia first, and made her presence known by coming up behind her and laying a hand on Ophelia's arm as she leaned against a pillar in a corner, sipping a colorful drink of mysterious contents and watching the activities of the dance floor with mild interest.

"Ophelia, there you are." her voice was calm and her hand warm as it laid on the magician's arm "I see you decided against wearing the costume I selected for you." there was a hint of amusement in her voice as she gazed at Ophelia, her head tilted to the side slightly.

"Yes." Ophelia nodded in answer, taking another sip of her drink and enjoying its floral notes before turning to face her and continuing: "The costume you chose for me was lovely, but I didn't feel that it quite suited me. I hope you don't mind."

As Ophelia turned to face her, Nadia's expression shifted, she saw the mask Ophelia wore, fashioned from the petals of the white roses that she had taken from the garden. "Interesting choice in flowers you've made." She remarked, a slight crease forming between her eyebrows.

Ophelia simply nodded "I found a lovely bush in the gardens and thought they would serve instead of a mask inspired by the Arcana. I feel that my own proclivities tend to run in a track of their own."

Nadia acknowledged her words with another tilt of her head and began describing an issue she was having with a dessert maker, her voice seeming to fade away as Ophelia became aware of a set of eyes focusing on her with intense interest. She vaguely hear the Countess as she continued to air her grievances as she swept her gaze back and forth across the ballroom, trying to find the source of the unnerving feeling. As her eyes traveled the room one more time, they were captured by the stare of the courtier she was the least familiar with, and had no desire to know to any capacity: Quaestor Valdemar.

Wrenching her eyes from the courtier's, Ophelia turned back to Nadia, only to find the Countess telling her that she would return as soon as she sorted out an issue with the wine purveyor, and swiftly exiting the room.

Whirling back to see if the Quaestor was still looking at her, Ophelia almost ran straight into them, her face nearly colliding with their stomach, they were so tall. She took several swift steps backward, stammering out a quick greeting. "Good evening Quaestor Valdemar, I hope you are enjoying the festivities. Did you need anythi-"

They interrupted her by leaning down and fixing her with a stare that was almost frenzied in its hunger, not hunger for her flesh or anything so base, but an intense need for knowledge, with not a care for the method by which they obtained it.

"Ahh the magician's little apprentice." they said, their tone calm, though it masked a vein of morbid eagerness "There is so much I would love to know about you. Perhaps I will find you in my laboratory soon, we have so much to talk about, that would be the most fortunate of happenings."

Ophelia did her best to swallow the panic that was rising in her throat, and assumed the best smile she could under the circumstances "Really Quaestor? What qualities could I possibly possess to interest you so? I'm afraid I don't deserve such attentions."

They cocked their head to the side as she spoke, the fingertips of their hands pressed together in front of them as they looked her over "Oh, quite the contrary, you are a fascinating specimen. Able to bring our dear Count back from the unstable state he was occupying. You must have something very special inside of you and I would love to see it."

Ophelia had been edging her way to the edge of her corner, and at that point managed to slip around Valdemar as she maneuvered past them "What an odd idea," she replied "I'm afraid I don't have time to come to the dungeons as of right now, but that could change, I'll speak to you another time, Quaestor." and with that, she made her escape, walking briskly out of the ballroom as the Quaestor watched her go, their gaze as keen as that of an adder watching a field mouse.

As soon as she had gotten away from the frightening courtier, Ophelia got herself another drink and had soon forgotten the incident as the wine began to ease her inhibitions away. She swayed in time with the music, the colored lights glinting off the ornaments in her hair. It nagged at her that she still hadn't yet run into Lucio. Ophelia had figured that he would want to keep her within his reach all evening, especially considering his promise from before. If she was going to be honest with herself, she was a little disappointed; the passion they shared was undeniable, and despite having satisfied herself several times that morning, she craved his touch like she had never experienced before. She let her eyes slipped close for a moment or two and imagined his hands all over her; fingers slipping under her skirt, into her mouth, metal claws digging into her skin. She shivered and opened her eyes, taking a deep breath and turning to leave that room in search of other distractions.

Ophelia had barely made it a handful of steps when a strong hand seized her upper arm and dragged her into the shadows of a nearby doorway. She found herself facing the wall with her back pressed up against what felt like a man's chest, and as her breath quickened, she recognized his scent immediately; he'd finally found her.

"I brought a gift for you, magician, though from the way you rejected my earlier gifts, I don't know that you deserve it."

Ophelia could feel her blood pounding in her ears as he spoke, her excitement mounting with each word he uttered. "The costume, you mean?" she asked as innocently as possible "It really wasn't my style, Lucio, surely you can see that."

His grip had moved to her shoulder by that time and he was tightening his hold as she spoke "You had better thank the fates that you didn't wear what Nadia chose for you, or I'd have to be quite harsh in administering your punishment." he hissed in her ear, before relaxing his grip on her arm and turning her to face him.

The wine was doing its work, and with every word he whispered in her ear, Ophelia was growing more and more aroused at the sound of his voice; she didn't even care what he did to her as long as he didn't stop touching her. As she gazed up at him, her eyes widened and a small smile stole over her lips. He was dressed impeccably in red; wearing no shirt under his jacket, his chest was bare and his fur detailed cape hung off one shoulder. The goat mask he wore had enormous horns, quite similar to the ones he had before he had become human again.

While Ophelia was occupied admiring his appearance, Lucio reached into a pocket and pulled out a small black velvet bag "Hold out your hands." he told her, and upended the bag into her palm as she obeyed. Out fell what appeared to be a jeweled brooch, made of gold and rubies, and shaped into the form of what Ophelia recognized to be a starstrand blossom. It was the strangest 'brooch' she had ever seen, as there was no clasp or needle to hold it in place, but one side was covered in a sticky glue-like substance.

As Ophelia stared at the jewelry, trying to find the use for it, Lucio slipped his hand under her skirt and passed it over her sex "Tsk tsk" he scolded, clicked his tongue disapprovingly "no underwear again; I specifically had a set of lingerie made for you, and you'd rather wear nothing." without waiting for her to answer, he pulled his hand free and took the piece of jewelry from her palm, then put his hand back under her skirt and pressed the sticky surface of it to the soft, fleshy area just above her sex, the stem of the starstrand 'brooch' curving down to rest against her clit.

"There," Lucio whispered in her ear "this way you will know when I'm coming, and you'll be ready for me."

Ophelia felt slightly giddy as he withdrew his hand and made as if to leave her when she grabbed his wrist and pulled hard, dragging him back and this time pushing him against the wall.

They remained there for what felt like an eternity, staring into the other's eyes until Lucio made a move to step toward her, at which point, she planted her hands on his chest and pushed him back again, this time staring him in the eye, as she sank to her knees on the marble floor.

Lucio watched her like a hawk, the intensity of his stare making Ophelia feel short of breath, but she persevered, sliding down his body, and holding his gaze as she went. When she reached the ground, Ophelia leaned in and pressed a kiss to where his cock lay beneath his pants, making Lucio take in a hissed breath, though he made no effort to stop her.

Ophelia's nimble fingers made quick work of the belts slung around Lucio's waist, occasionally nuzzling her face against the cloth of his crotch, until she could free it, looking up at him with a mischievous smile as she took the head of his cock into her mouth.

She had been fantasizing about such an act for a while, and her excitement only added to her enthusiasm as she sucked and took his length deeper into her mouth. Finding the taste of him to her liking, Ophelia began bobbing her head up and down lightly as she sucked more firmly, bringing her hands up to grab his shaft and steady herself in her position. As she continued about her task Ophelia slid a hand up Lucio's thigh, digging her nails in slightly to increase his sensation. Saliva had begun seeping out the edges of her mouth where she hadn't created quite a perfect seal against the smooth skin of his cock.

Reaching down with his metal prosthesis, Lucio stroked Ophelia's cheek before bringing up his other hand, and began rubbing his thumb over the large red stone that was set in the ring on his index finger. As he did so, Ophelia could feel a vibrating sensation growing against her clit, making her whimper around his cock and swivel her head, feeling a deep need to take him in as far as she could.

Lucio was groaning slightly with each motion of Ophelia's head, his claws sinking into the hair at the back of her neck and raising gooseflesh all over her body. He didn't push her head down like she was expecting him to, but kept his hand at the back of her neck while she continued sucking him off.

She sensed that he was nearing his climax and slipped her hands up under his jacket, running her fingers over his stomach and digging her nails into his skin, his moans coming louder in response and his claws tightening in her hair, making her smile to herself at the effect she was having on him. As his cock began to twitch, Ophelia thought about how much she wanted his cum all over her face and breasts, but she knew that they still had a long night ahead of them, and she couldn't make a mess of herself so early in the evening. Instead, she gripped his hips hard in both hands and pulled him in as far as she could, his cock sliding past her gag reflex and into her throat as she pressed her tongue against the underside of it and sucked hard, triggering Lucio's orgasm, his load spilling deep into her throat.

Ophelia blinked back the tears that had sprung to her eyes as she pulled him slowly from her throat. Holding his cock in both hands, she licked him clean from the base to the tip, kissing the head as she tucked him back in his pants and rose to her feet, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Lucio took Ophelia's face in both of his hands and gazed down at her, rubbing the pad of his thumb across her lips, both of which were red and swollen from the attentions she had paid him. "You have such a beautiful mouth." he breathed, the red of his eyes bright against the white frame of his goat mask. "Did Valdemar frighten you?"

Ophelia's eyes jumped to meet his, surprised at the uncharacteristic concern for her well being, but she nodded and lifted her own hand to grasp one of his.

"They won't lay a finger on you, don't worry about that." he told her and then dropped his hands and straightened his jacket, the look of concern on his face gone and replaced with a cocky grin "Now, go enjoy the festivities. I have several matters to attend to, but I haven't forgotten my promise from the other night, you can be sure of that."

When he was gone, Ophelia strolled back to the main ballroom and grabbed an unopened bottle of champagne before ducking into a secluded balcony to be alone with her thoughts. She took a long draft from the bottle and, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand, smirked to herself as she remembered how she had shoved Lucio against the wall and taken charge of his pleasure. She let out a giggle as she replayed the shocked look on his face when she had slipped to her knees after pushing him against the wall for the second time. _"He didn't stop me though,"_ she thought to herself, taking another drink and feeling the warmth bloom under her skin and bring a flush to her face _"I think he was just too surprised, especially after he's been able to do whatever the fuck he wants to me without the littlest protest."_ Ophelia fully acknowledged that she had loved how Lucio had taken her in such a savage manner, but she was contrary by nature, and took great joy in making herself difficult, a trait that Asra had often bemoaned.

The memory of her teacher made Ophelia wince, his disapproval of her choices was inevitable, and she hated the idea of having to face him eventually. But this was not the time to worry about such matters, and she took another large swig from her bottle and did her best to redirect her thoughts.

As she was wondering which room of the masquerade she should explore next, the jeweled vibrator under her skirt began to hum softly, making Ophelia press her legs together involuntarily and let her head fall back against the pillar she had been concealing herself behind. As the vibrations grew in intensity, she surmised that it meant that Lucio was coming closer. Coming out from her hiding place, she peeked around the edge of the open doors into the ballroom, and saw the goat mask making its way slowly through the throngs of people toward her, occasionally stopping to speak to a reveler here and there, but always drawing steadily closer.

A mischievous grin stole over her face as Ophelia watched him, and she drew back into the shadows, looking around and then creeping off along the balcony to an entirely different area of the masquerade, the bottle of champagne still clutched in her hand, and feeling a combination of glee at the idea of not being readily available when Lucio wanted her, and a shiver of apprehension at what he would do when he inevitably caught her.

Choosing a room at random, Ophelia slipped through the door of the veranda, sliding along the wall and doing her best to go unnoticed as she investigated the theme of the room. The chamber was only lit with candles placed at strategic intervals near the pillars of the room so as to create an ambiance of soft light and flickering shadows. The decor consisted of tapestries and thick curtains that made the large room feel like it provided a certain amount of closeness and concealment, like it were possible to hide among the shadows. This room was by no means empty, but the loud clamour of the crowds in the other areas of the masquerade was absent, replaced with a low hum of murmured flirtations and subdued laughter, the occupants having draped themselves across the array of couches and daybeds.

As she made her way around the edge of the room, Ophelia found that there were several small tables that held an array of brightly colored candies, that, along with the sweets, was a little placard that read "eat me". Intrigued by the atmosphere of languid sensuality, she picked up two of the candies and retreated to a fainting couch in a dark corner to enjoy her treats.

She had eaten one candy and was just about to pop the second into her mouth when she started to sense a difference; it started with a delicious tingling running down her spine, followed by a warmth that flowed from her back forward, like a warm blanket being wrapped around her. The sensation began to creep up her neck and settled in her eyes, making her vision explode in vibrant colors, reminiscent of the first time she found her spirit gate. Ophelia let her head fall back on the arm of her couch and stretched luxuriously, relishing the way the tingling warmth ran over her skin in waves each time she moved. With her senses so overwhelmed, she failed to notice when Lucio's "brooch" began to vibrate again, growing in strength until it vaguely dawned on her that she was getting abnormally wet. Just as she made the realization, she felt two hands land firmly on her shoulders, accompanied by a pompously irritated voice.

"I see you are enjoying your sweets so much that you can't be troubled to be available when I come for you."

He was put out, Ophelia could feel it in how he uttered each word with an increasingly tight grip on her shoulders, his mouth twisted into a sneer. Craning her neck backwards, she gazed up at him; he stood out in stark relief against the myriad of colors that were flowing through her vision, his aura bright red, reflecting his annoyance. She answered with wide, innocent eyes "Oh, were you looking for me, Lucio? I didn't know. Have you tried these candies? They're simply divine!" she reached up and pressed the candy she had left against his lips, half expecting him to fly into a rage, but was happily surprised when he begrudgingly opened his mouth and let her feed it to him.

Lucio took several moments to savor the sweet before turning his attention back to Ophelia, his eyes glowing crimson through the holes of his goat mask.

"Get up."

Ophelia blinked and, deciding she'd had her fun being defiant, obeyed, getting up from her reclined position and coming to stand in front of him, a look of expectant curiosity on her face.

"Turn around."

A smile played around her mouth as she did as she was told, feeling a flush climbing up the back of her neck. "Are you sure you don't want to go somewhere more secluded?" she asked, thinking he'd forgotten their current location in a room full of people with no barrier hiding them, despite the poor lighting.

Lucio had slipped his hand down to palm her ass, and was now sliding it down the back of her thigh. "Everyone in here has been eating those candies for hours, I doubt they can even comprehend the shape of their own hands in front of their faces." he answered. Kicking out with his foot, he snared a nearby ottoman and dragged it closer, and slid his other arm under both of hers and lifted her up, depositing her on the furniture so the top of her head now came to his shoulder height. Having elevated her to a more manageable position, he continued his path down her leg and, reaching the midpoint of her thigh, he lifted her leg until her knee was as high in the air as it could go, at which point, he straightened her leg, placing her in a standing full split.

"Now stay there."

As flexible as she was, Ophelia knew her stamina wouldn't allow her to remain in such a position indefinitely. She let out a laugh "You're not serious, are you? There's no way I can stay like this for more than a few minutes."

"Well then maybe I should tie your foot above your head, do you think that would help?" he whispered in her ear with a delighted chuckle.

"Are you punishing me for earlier?" she demanded "Go ahead and try to tell me you didn't like that, I dare you." she was slightly annoyed at the idea that she should be punished for doing him such a favor.

"I won't tell you any such thing." he laughed again "I did enjoy it. But I'll be damned if I ever ignore a reason to put such a bold little magician in her place like she deserves."

Lucio had slid her skirt all the way up, exposing her completely, and making her shiver, both at the breeze from the open window, and at the way he was speaking to her. She could hear the clink of clasps opening and the shuffle of clothing being pushed around, and then nothing. Twisting her head around she saw him rolling a condom over his cock.

You didn't seem worried about that any of the times before now," she said with a laugh "something got you scared?"

He scoffed and let go of his cock, letting it come up and rest against her outer lips "Hardly. I make sure that isn't even a possibility. But I can't make a mess of you just yet, that dress has to last the entire evening, and I've only just started with you. That is, unless you're worried that you won't be able to last beyond this round? Then I won't bother."

Ophelia felt her hackles rise; was that a challenge? Was he insinuating that she was weak and delicate? Setting her jaw, she determined to last as long as she had to; she was going to keep that split until her leg fell off.

"Hmph," she scoffed "I can last as long as I want to, and I'm not about to wilt when you haven't fucked me even once. Do your worst."

His laughter echoed off the walls "Just like that? You are a feisty one. I'm going to enjoy reducing you to a quivering mess. You'll be begging me to let you rest before the night is over."

She was about to shoot back with some smart mouthed remark when he slid himself into her with one fluid motion. Fortunately, his gift had done its job, and she was more than wet enough to admit him, as evidenced by the filthy squelching sound it made, but the stretch was more than her sex was prepared for, and the sudden fullness made her grit her teeth together. She soon relaxed however, and the pain subsided, giving way to the heat building in her belly.

Lucio had anchored himself to her with his claws finding their way to her hip and digging in, while his hand yanked the top of her dress down and palmed over her breasts.

Ophelia reached up and back with one hand, grabbing hold of Lucio's lapel and letting her head fall back against his chest, while her other hand held tightly to the metal appendage that was attached to her hip.

Knowing that the longer he took, the harder it would be for Ophelia to maintain her position, Lucio moved his hips at an agonizingly slow pace, thrusting into her with long, slow strokes, while he dropped his mouth to her neck, running his tongue along her pulse point and then biting the skin, gently at first, but more aggressively each time after.

Glancing around, Ophelia almost couldn't believe it, but no one seemed to be taking notice of them. They all seemed engrossed in each other and enjoying the effects of the candy. She'd never admit it, but she found the public nature of their coupling incredibly arousing, and began to push her hips back to meet Lucio's thrusts, arching her back and urging him to move faster to satisfy her growing desire. The soft grunts he made every time he pushed his cock into her heat only served to stoke her passions, and she began to let out quiet whimpers of her own, biting down on her lip to keep from being too loud.

From behind her, she heard Lucio laugh in her ear "You're lasting longer than I thought, magician, but I can feel your legs trembling. I'll offer you a wager: I'll let you drop your leg right now if you stop and follow me to the grand ballroom and we fuck in front of Nadia, and every one of the guests. If you say no and you can't keep your leg up, you lose and have to be my slave, chained to my bed, for one night of my choosing, and we continue the night as originally planned. If you can hold on until I'm done, well, you can have whatever you want"

It was true, the muscles in her leg had begun to burn with exertion, and she was cursing everyone and their mother for her bravado in claiming to be able to take whatever he threw at her _"Why am I so damn headstrong sometimes?"_ she mentally chastised herself _"If only I'd been a bit less arrogant, I probably wouldn't be in this situation to begin with."_ but her pride flared up at the certainty in his voice. He thought that he had her, and he could demand she humiliate herself on such a massive scale; this was not to be tolerated.

She must have taken too long to answer, because Lucio's voice broke through her thoughts, heavy with impatience.

"Just say no, if that's how you feel, it's no fun if you don't want to."

Ophelia answered with a scoffing laugh of her own "If you think I'm going to be beaten this easily, you're an arrogant fool, Lucio. I'll take your bet."

Lucio let out a gleeful chuckle "I knew you would want to play, you never disappoint." the irritation in his voice vanished as he continued "Let's see if you can back up those haughty words of yours."

He began to move his hips again, and though his thrusts were measured and slow, Ophelia could tell that he it was taking all his concentration to keep from finishing right then and there. Seizing the opportunity, she started to do everything she could to get him to finish before her strength gave out. Arching her back, she pushed her hips against him, forcing an increase in the speed of their motion, while she pressed her face into the side of his neck and moaned his name softly, "Please fuck me, Lucio. Fuck me harder."

His breath hitched and she could feel a slight shudder in his movements as he tried to maintain control and not give in to her pleading.

Ophelia moaned louder, letting all kinds of obscenities fall from her lips in her efforts to break him, and it seemed as if she would succeed; Lucio was slowly increasing his speed, whether he realized it or not, his breath becoming raspy as he clenched his teeth.

When he did start to catch on the the fact that Ophelia was gaining the upper hand, Lucio slid his hand down and began to rub the pad of his finger in little circles over her clit, making her cry out and nearly shattering her own concentration.

They continued like that, both trying to force the other's orgasm while holding off on their own, and both almost succeeding, until Ophelia began to feel a cramp starting in her hip. She did her best to fight it off, but with the pain rising and Lucio's fingers still playing over her sensitive flesh, she couldn't hang on any longer; her leg cramp hit her just as Lucio pressed his finger hard against her clit, pushing her orgasm over the edge. She dropped her leg with a small scream and lurched forward, forcing him to catch her as he was reaching his own climax, and he crushed her to him with a final thrust of his hips, both of them falling silent.

When he finally moved again, Lucio took a deep breath and withdrew himself from her with a groan, releasing her slowly and allowing her to slump forward onto the arm of the couch, while he pulled the condom off his cock.

As sated as she was, Ophelia still winced at the pain of the feeling of the sensation returning to her leg, now that she was able to let it down to the floor again. Just as she was expecting to turn and find Lucio gone, she felt his chest press against her back and his hot breath on her ear as he slipped his hand around to her abdomen and under the jeweled belt of her skirt.

"So you can keep track." he whispered, laughing breathlessly as he tucked the used condom under her waistband "I'll find you when I need you, and you'll know when I decide to call in our bet." he gave her hip a tight squeeze and sixed his clothes before disappearing through the nearest doorway.

Ophelia groaned. The night was far from over, and she had already lost one bet with Lucio, what else could she do to further mire herself in the hole she was digging?

As it turned out, much, much more.


End file.
